Congressman Boustany Agrees: Shutting Down The Government Bad Idea

Last week, I wrote about why Senator David Vitter’s (R-Metairie) call for a government shutdown in an attempt to defund ObamaCare was a bad idea for the country and for the Republican Party. On Monday, in an interview on “The Ken & Bernie Show”, I reiterated those comments on KPEL 96.5fm in Acadiana. I noted in my comments that Congressman Charles Boustany (R-Lafayette) agreed with me.

Tuesday morning, also on “The Ken & Bernie Show” on KPEL, Congressman Boustany continued his comments regarding the proposed government shutdown being a bad idea.

“If you shut down the annual appropriations, that doesn’t affect the funding of Obamacare by much.  Maybe half a percent to one percent,” Congressman Boustany said. “ Most of the funding of Obamacare comes from the new taxes that started this year, many start in 2014.  That’s about a trillion dollars in funding and the Medicare cuts…If you shut down spending oil permits get delayed further, veterans may not get their benefit checks on time.  This Administration is vindictive.  They will use it as a tool to beat the American people over the head and blame Republicans in Congress.”

Now, I’m no fan of ObamaCare and neither is Congressman Boustany.  In fact, back in April, Boustany held a Congressional hearing and blasted President Obama for trying to increase the IRS’s budget by $1 Billion to hire more agents to enforce ObamaCare.

But, it’s one thing to support a Continuing Resolution to pay for everything but ObamaCare, but shutting down the government, stopping Social Security and Military benefit payments along with Unemployment and Food Stamp programs, stopping agricultural inspections and giving Air Traffic Controllers a paid vacation, would send our economy into a tailspin.

It’s a bad idea and one that, hopefully, Senator Vitter will reconsider.

ObamaCare is going to be a disaster and, in many ways, it already is. Even the President has made some adjustments to it. But, disagreeing on a law and shutting down the government are two vastly different ideas.

Yes, 70% of Louisiana residents want to defund ObamaCare but, they also want a stable government and a real plan for health care reform.

But, on the flip side, 800,000 Louisiana residents don't have health insurance. What's Senator Vitter's answer for that problem?

It pains me to agree with Senator Mary Landrieu (D-New Orleans) but, she’s right when she says:

“The people of Louisiana and the country are generally just fed up with gamesmanship and gimmicks and they want us to roll up our sleeves, compromise and find a way to help the private sector create jobs,” Landrieu, said. “I understand the theatrics that are going on, but theatrics don’t put food on the table. It's (the Affordable Care Act) been upheld by theSupreme Court. It's time to move on."

Well it may not be time to completely move on from fighting or defunding ObamaCare, although 40 votes is a bit much, it is time to stop the showmanship and get to work.  

Unless Republicans have a better health care reform option in which case, it might be time to show us.